Are you getting the best from your IT?

Posted on 27th May 2018 at 07:56

Many businesses operate under the motto “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and stick with existing systems for as long as humanly possible. Worrying about cost or organisational upheaval are probably the main factors for this behaviour on this text to edit it.

What businesses unfortunately don’t realise, however, is that they might inhibit their own potential for growth with this strategy.

In an ideal scenario, organisations should question regularly whether it is time to review technology they are currently using and see if it is right to meet the future business strategy and vision.

Is your business equipped to scale effectively?

Does your technological infrastructure such as your IT systems, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) allow for future growth of the business or is it just right for now?

It could be that you even have already outgrown it without noticing it. Is information shared effectively within your organisation? Do different functions work together well or are there communication or collaboration issues? Are you double keying information?

Another problem with staying loyal to legacy systems could be that vendors may discontinue the product and end support functions and updates. This can post a security risk to your system and to your business!

Create a strategy to ensure the successful growth of your business

It is a good investment of the directors’ time to investigate strategies that keep your business growing.

Start with a thorough audit of all the systems that keep your organisation going as well as where your business is now and where you want it to go in the coming 12 to 36 months. Are you planning major growth initiatives? Is your business generally growing at a fast rate? Are you anticipating a large number of new hires to grow your teams?

Now that you have established where you are and where you want to go, where are the deficiencies? Which systems will cause a bottle neck in your organisation? Does your CRM fulfil all the criteria you are going to need for your expanding sales team, for example? Create a list of weaknesses you discover during this process. These deficiencies can occur in any form from limited ways to generate revenue and decreased employee efficiency to the need for operating cost reductions.

Next create an IT roadmap to equip yourself with the necessary tools you will need for the foreseeable future. An IT roadmap helps the planning team match technology solutions to business goals that align with the vision and strategy. It should always be created with input from all departments to create the best solutions. With the help of a roadmap the business can develop the necessary projects to solve present and future deficiencies that were identified in the previous step.

If you have any questions about IT roadmaps or you need any further assistance on the subject or maybe you have questions on wider strategy or project management activities then please get in touch on 0844 259 6210 or via our contacts page.